Audience under sheet, sat in circle
They’d collected them beforehand; a nice walk up the hill had proved to be quite profitable. If you call it profit, some would say the idea of profit implies money, finance. No, this ‘stock’ would not be used for financial gain - that would only cheapen the value of the findings. As always, they give one back to the Earth.
Tap one member of audience of shoulder.
“Thank you”
They return home feeling excited and full of genuine gratitude towards Mother Nature. Nature, they knew, would soon be even more fantastical than their simple, stilted mind-sets could imagine.
It’s mid-afternoon. They sit together apprehending the arrival of their good friend, who arrives promptly and on time – which is unusual and very out of character. Their friend, a looming, bumbling fellow – a gentle giant of sorts – is also feeling the excitement. They lay out their new found feast upon the table and share the goods like sweets. Each of them hungry for the satisfaction the food would bring.
“I decided we should go for another walk, I like walks.”
They all agreed that no-one would want to be stuck indoors on such a beautiful autumn day. They piled on their layers and headed outside. A deep breathe in. The air feels cold upon their cheeks and they feel a fresh new energy take them with the breeze. Such a beautiful day. The woods across the road are calling over to the three friends, pulling them in with its inviting whispers. The trees looked welcoming.
“They’re not different yet. Just green - very green”.
The maze of trees is calm, yet to them starts to look electric. The pores and sparks of every leaf and twig are effervescing with energy and life.
“The woods are humming”
The hum of the trees led them through the a leafy doorway into the deer-snicket where they sit a while on a fallen trunk. They do not want to shut their eyes. The once warm, sleepy snicket in which they were led had now become a vibrant playful party of nature’s music.
“I turned my head and the branches watched over me and smiled”.
They all looked down to see the leaves dancing at their feet.
“It is a sacred place, it is wonderful. I knew we had to leave it to live”
Taps audience member shoulder
“Thank you, Nature”.
The next patch they encounter is a tunnel of orange, a glowing tube of sunlight. The bumbling friend is enjoying this part. “That was good” he says as they reach the clearing, “I’m going to do it again”.
“We both laughed, we told him – ‘it doesn’t quite work like that!’”
His friends were laughing, though all in good spirits. The good spirits are everywhere at this time, and they can feel the bond of friendship growing and being good.
Ella: Hello. I am Ella. I er, have a cat called pumpycat. He is playing in the garden today cos mummy told him off for stealing her breakfast. I have another cat called Beatha and another cat called Scaredycat and he is hiding somewhere cos he is a scardey cat! I don’t think Scardeycat will play with pumpy outside cos its not very nice today and scaredy doesn’t like it when its not very nice. I don’t like it when its not very nice cos it gets windy. I like to do some painting and yesterday I painted a picture of pumpycat and I used every single colour that school has. All of the paints at school. I’m not going to school today. I don’t have to, not today cos it’s windy outside. Mum said I don’t have to go outside when its windy so that means I don’t have to go school. No, noooo! I’m not going! I don’t want to go school. Mum! You said I don’t have to go outside when its windy! Making me go all the way to school and its outside.
Grumps
Mum: Every day. Every bloody day. I get her up. Fine. Getting dressed? Fine. Eating breakfast? Fine. The second we have to go outside, I get this.
Walks round
Ella: Muuum! Get off! I’m not going!
Tantrums round in circle, Mum turns round and snaps
Mum: You are going to school young lady and that is final! Seriously, every day. Are yours this bad?
Walks round, kid stops
Ella: Mum, you said yesterday I don’t have to go outside when it’s windy. It’s windy now and I don’t like it and that means I don’t have to go school. Boo doesn’t have to go school and it’s windy and I don’t either and it’s not fair!
Walks round, mum tries to reason
Mum: Belle sweetie, your sisters only two, she’s not old enough for school yet. Now you’ve got to be a good big sister haven’t you and make sure you get to your classroom on time today. It’ll be the third time this week we’re going to be late otherwise won’t it?
Walks round, kid is grumbling
Ella: But Mum I want to stay home with pumpycat!
Walks round and mum stops and talks to audience
Mum: Love we’re going to school. Her and that bloody cat. I didn’t even want to get another cat. Scaredys not so bad, we already had Beatha, but her and Pumpkin are some kind of bonkers double act. You know I caught her painting the cat the other day? Yea, not painting a picture of the cat, no she’d already done that, she thought she’d paint the actual cat. Then of course he tries to rub all the paint off using the sofa. Not happy about that. But Pumpkin doesn’t care. Stupid lump. He lets her do anything. He’s been painted on, put in drawers, dressed up, covered in mud. She even uses him as a pillow and he doesn’t care. You know, I wish she could take him to school sometimes. She’d get there on time, and I’d have a clean peaceful house. Come on.
I think this piece went down really well, everyone seemed to find it funny and I think they could all relate to my childishness and the sensible nature of their parents from their own experiences. I really enjoyed being childish again, it was fun to be able to take the mick out of my old self and it was nice remembering my old cats!
I think this piece went down really well, everyone seemed to find it funny and I think they could all relate to my childishness and the sensible nature of their parents from their own experiences. I really enjoyed being childish again, it was fun to be able to take the mick out of my old self and it was nice remembering my old cats!
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